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Most buyers should pick Craft CMS.
We'd choose Acquia for teams committed to Drupal that need managed hosting, content governance and the listed critical-response SLA. Its price is custom quoted, so the budget remains unknown until Acquia provides a quote. We'd choose Craft CMS for customizable content workflows and clearer costs: Solo is free, and Team costs $279 per project for up to five user accounts. Craft includes one year of updates; after that, updates cost $99/year. The better choice depends on whether Drupal continuity or content-model flexibility matters more.
01Side by side
| Acquia | Craft CMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote; starting price not published. | $279 per project for Team; Solo is free. |
| Free plan | No free plan listed. | Solo is free forever. |
| Best for | Complex Drupal needs. | Flexible structured content workflows. |
| Core strength | Drupal platform, governance, and AI site building. | Customizable back end and front-end choice. |
| Learning curve | Not published. | Not published. |
| Integrations/data | Drupal skills, modules, integrations, and native MCP. | Twig, GraphQL, and a plugin framework. |
| Team/seat costs | Custom quote; Standard includes one application. | Team: $279/project, up to 5 accounts; Pro: $399. |
| Support | 2 advisory hours; 1-hour critical response SLA. | Dedicated premium support on custom Enterprise license. |
Acquia Choose Acquia if
- Choose Acquia if your team is committed to Drupal.
- Choose Acquia if managed Drupal hosting is a priority.
- Choose Acquia if the listed critical-response SLA fits your needs.
Craft CMS Choose Craft CMS if
- Choose Craft CMS if you want a free Solo plan.
- Choose Craft CMS if you need customizable content workflows.
- Choose Craft CMS if published project pricing helps you budget.
02Pricing compared
Craft is easier to budget: Solo is free forever, Team costs $279 per project, and Pro costs $399 per project. Team supports up to five user accounts; Pro includes unlimited accounts and groups. Team and Pro include one year of updates, then updates cost $99 per year. Enterprise licensing is custom quoted.
Acquia pricing is custom quoted, and monthly or annual terms are not published. The available Standard plan details list one Drupal application, 100 GB each of file and database storage, and Acquia Search with 50,000 monthly queries. The plan also lists 10 email domains, 100,000 monthly emails, two advisory hours, and a one-hour 24x7 critical-response SLA. That makes a direct cost comparison impossible until Acquia provides a quote. Craft has the clearer published starting point; Acquia’s total cost remains unknown.
03Features and depth
Acquia is the more Drupal-centered option. Its platform combines content management, digital asset management, governance, and AI-powered site-building workflows. The Drupal foundation can help teams carry existing Drupal skills, modules, and integrations forward. Acquia also lists native MCP support for connecting AI agents to content, plus reviews and brand standards for content governance. Its Standard plan details include a managed platform for one Drupal application.
Craft is built around customizable content structures and back ends. Teams can use Twig templates or a decoupled GraphQL API for the front end, and extend the CMS with plugins. Craft also supports localization across unlimited sites, languages, and locales, while Craft Commerce adds customizable ecommerce. The choice is less about feature count than operating model: Acquia suits teams prioritizing Drupal continuity and governance; Craft suits teams that want to shape the content model and authoring experience. Craft’s flexibility also means teams should confirm that their planned workflow fits before switching.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Neither product is automatically the simpler choice. Acquia may be a more familiar path for teams already working with Drupal: its product information says existing Drupal skills, modules, and integrations carry forward. Teams without that background should account for learning Drupal and evaluating the platform’s governance and AI workflows.
Craft lets teams customize the back end and content structures, which can fit a specific editorial process. That flexibility also means the team needs to decide how the CMS should be configured and how editors will work in it. Craft’s review advises testing the workflow and costs before switching. We’d have editors try representative tasks in the proposed setup before committing to either platform.
Questions people ask
Is Craft CMS cheaper than Acquia?
Craft has published prices: Solo is free, Team is $279 per project, and Pro is $399 per project. Acquia’s pricing is custom quoted, with monthly and annual terms not published. Craft is easier to price from the available information, but the total cost comparison depends on Acquia’s quote and each project’s requirements.
Does Acquia publish its pricing?
The available Acquia pricing information lists custom quotes rather than a published price, and monthly or annual billing terms are not published. It describes a Standard plan with one Drupal application and specified storage, search, email, advisory, and response-SLA limits. Request a quote to learn the actual cost.
Can Craft CMS handle multiple languages and sites?
Yes. Craft’s Solo plan includes multi-site and localization, and the product information says Craft supports translation for unlimited sites, languages, and locales. The published plan details do not list a cap on locales, but check the current license and project requirements before choosing a plan.
Which should a Drupal team choose?
Acquia is the closer fit if the team wants a managed Drupal platform and values continuity with Drupal skills, modules, and integrations. Craft may suit teams seeking more control over content structures and the authoring back end. Compare the workflow and get Acquia’s quote before deciding; its price is not published.